BLOATING is an inevitable problem which occurs at Christmas time, but there are a number of things you can do to avoid any tummy troubles on the big day.

Christmas is an exciting time of year, but make sure these common issues aren’t ruining the festive fun.

The likes of bloating, heartburn or flatulence can leave you feeling sluggish and run-down, so ensure you’re on top form this Christmas with these experts’ top tips.

Don’t let IBS irritate you

The painful muscle spasms and alternating diarrhoea and constipation associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) can be triggered by rich foods and alcohol, making festive flare ups all too common for sufferers.

Nutritionist Helen Bond said: “try not to ditch your usual exercise patterns in favour of socialising, late night shopping and days on end in front of the TV - long wintry walks with the family, 10 pin bowling, even an hour on the Wii can all help speed up a sluggish digestion helping ease IBS symptoms.”

To reduce your chance of triggering IBS symptoms, keep a festive food diary, which will help you spot any patterns or specific foods which could be linked to an attack. Stress can also be a trigger of IBS so try and control your stress levels over the busy festive season by taking 10 minutes of me-time every day to sit quietly and focus on deep breathing and a relaxing warm bath.

Helen added: “Christmas can be one of the most stressful times of the year. The expense of gifts and food, the pressure of shopping and the expectations of the season, so where possible try to plan ahead to minimise your stress levels and take time to relax - relaxation tapes, yoga, aromatherapy or massages can help.”

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If cramps strike, try Buscopan IBS Relief, available from pharmacies and supermarkets.

Best for bloating

Christmas is a time for celebration, but overindulgence during Christmas can leave us feeling bloated and uncomfortable when we still want to enjoy more festive foods.

Ian Marber, Nutritional Therapist, said: “Christmas Day is when people will feel most bloated and it’s no surprise given that the average person consumes around 6,000 calories on Christmas day alone - around triple what we need. Festive food is also generally a lot richer in sugar and fat and the body will store this excess sugar as fat or glycogen, which can make you feel sluggish and uncomfortable. People also tend to have a ‘go on it’s Christmas’ attitude and therefore don’t make as good food choices as perhaps they would any other time of year.”

If you do find yourself feeling bloated over Christmas, you can try Maalox Plus, which gets to work in under 30 minutes.

Horrible Heartburn

If you are already prone to it, heartburn or acid reflux is easily exacerbated by too much festive food.

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Christmas is a time for celebration, but overindulgence can leave us feeling bloated

This is because in simple terms the more you cram in your stomach, the most pressure there is on your oesophageal sphincter, the muscle that keeps digested food where it belongs. When the pressure is great enough, food and acid will push back up causing heartburn.

Sufferers can experience protection from heartburn the same day or by the evening, with Nexium Control, which gets to work in one hour.

Cut out the constipation

Stodgy food, not enough fruit and veg and lack of exercise can leave your bowels feeling sluggish. Too much food can also slow down your whole digestive system, leading to stomach ache and constipation.

We often eat more starchy foods during the winter as our bodies respond to colder weather, and over the Christmas period it’s been more tempting to reach for rich foods that lack fibre and are high in fat and sugar. Drinking too much alcohol can compound the problem (as it can cause dehydration).

To avoid putting on excess pounds as well as becoming constipated, bloated and uncomfortable, it’s important to eat foods high in fibre and drink plenty of water. Look after your digestive system by eating high fibre carbohydrates such as brown pasta, bread and rice, plenty of fruit and vegetables, and have treats in moderation.

If constipation does strike, try a gentle treatment such as Care Senna Tablets - a plant based laxative which helps encourage regular bowel movements - available from Well Pharmacy and independent pharmacies nationwide.

There is nothing worse than being ill over Christmas and missing out on all the fun. The norovirus known as the winter vomiting bug affects between 600,000 - 1 million people in the UK every year.

Dr Roger Henderson, media medic and GP, said: “Norovirus is highly contagious and can live for days on surfaces like clothing. The virus can be indirectly spread by virus particles (e.g vomiting) or touching surfaces, objects or onto food contaminated with the virus.

“Symptoms of norovirus typically appear 12 to 48 hours after infection and include the sudden onset of vomiting, diarrhoea and fever - this will typically last between one to three days. It is dehydration rather than the virus itself that can be particularly dangerous, especially with the young and elderly as this can cause lots of both water and essential minerals. An oral rehydration sachet is recommended to help the body replace the sugar, salt and minerals lost to dehydration and to help speed up the recovery process. People can still be contagious up to 48 hours after symptoms have stopped, so it’s important to follow medical advice to prevent the spread of infection to avoid the virus attacking another person.”

To treat the illness, try Dioralyte Relief, available in blackcurrant and raspberry flavour from pharmacies and supermarkets nationwide.